Once upon a time, craps was king of all casino games, and blackjack lagged far behind in popularity. That pecking order changed dramatically when Dr. Ed Thorp, a professor from MIT, developed a system for counting cards in 1961. His work showed that blackjack is a game of skill; how you play the cards and vary your bets can dramatically affect the outcome. Thorp’s powerful pen set off a stampede of players eager to make their fortune at the blackjack tables. Unfortunately, very few got rich. The reason they failed was simple: Most of them couldn’t master Thorp’s complicated strategy.
This history lesson should provide one clear insight - players can beat the game of blackjack, but the complex math often proves more than players can comprehend. Far too many
gamblers still don’t know how to correctly play their hands. Therefore, the first step for any budding blackjack pro is to study basic strategy, a computer-simulated model, for the optimal way to play each and every hand of blackjack.
There’s only one way to consistently win at blackjack-by learning to count cards. Anyone with average aptitude can become a card counter - but this skill takes discipline and drive, and most players don’t want to get that serious about their hobby. Counting cards is a strategy a bit advanced for this book. However, if you want to try moving up to the next level, I explain several different counting systems in my book Play Blackjack Like the Pros (HarperCollins).
